
It is with sorrow that we announce the passing of George Smyth on December 18, 2024. George is survived by his beloved wife, Christiane Leclerc Smyth, his stepson, Guillaume Bérubé (Josée Smith), his first wife and friend Lynda M. Smyth, and siblings Judy (late Robert Chambers), Elizabeth (George Cornett), and David (Martha Kelly). He will be fondly remembered by niece Lynda Chambers-Wong (Dave Wong), nephews Adam Cornett (Alana Cornett) and Mark Cornett (Katie Olsson), great-nephews Simon, Elliot, Charlie, and George Cornett, and great-niece Ada Cornett. George loved his frequent visits with them and was proud of them all.
George also left Christiane’s family grieving. Remembering him with affection are Hélène (Guy Couture), Bernard (Louise Emond), Luc (Marthe Harvey), and Julie (Yves Murray). He will never be forgotten by nieces Ann-Sophie Leclerc-Murray (Richard Morin), Stéphanie Leclerc-Murray (Pierre-Luc Tourangeau), Marianne Couture, and nephew Louis-Alexis Couture, great-nieces Victoria Morin and Laura Tourangeau, and great-nephew Hugo Morin. George enjoyed regular visits to Quebec City, where the Leclerc family gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving and each other’s achievements and success.
Born to George Clarkson Smyth and Edith Willoughby in Vancouver, BC, George was raised in Burnaby. He attended the Burnaby South School from 1959 to1962. For the school year 1962-63, he transferred to Burnaby Central, where he could take an electronics class. George attended the University of British Columbia and graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and physics.
Upon graduation, George began a distinguished career with Northern Telecom’s research and development lab in Ottawa. In 1971, this lab a became subsidiary of Northern Telecom, Bell-Northern Research (BNR). In February 1996, all Nortel technology resources, including BNR, merged under the Nortel name.
George successively held senior technical and management positions within BNR after which he led the design of the world’s first family of fully digital telecommunications switching systems. He also spearheaded the development of Nortel’s portfolio of fiber-optic-based communications products.
In February 1990, George was appointed President of BNR. In 1993, he assumed leadership of BNR’s new World Trade unit, which was mandated to research and develop products meeting the needs of global markets. He was President of Nortel Technology International, based in London, UK.
George was the chief architect behind the globalization of Nortel’s Research and Development efforts. During this period, Nortel labs or partnership labs were launched in Australia, Japan, China, India, Germany, the UK, France, Austria, Russia, Turkey, and Israel. This technology-sourcing activity was an integral and strategic part of Nortel’s globalization. George was the senior executive who presented Nortel’s technical views and directions to customers in markets around the world.
Following his long career in Research and Development, George moved to Atlanta, GA, in 1997 to head the first AT&T Account Management group. His technological expertise and leadership led to Nortel’s sales success at AT&T, its former competitor. Upon ending his illustrious career of 33 years, George retired to Ottawa in 2000.
Throughout his career, George remained close to the engineers, stopping by their desks to chat and going to the cafeteria to have lunch and mingle with them. He was inspired by the brilliant and talented BNR researchers, admired and respected by all. George inspired confidence, and people would enthusiastically follow his lead. George personified the soul and heart of BNR.
George has served as a member of the Ontario Premier’s Council on Economic Renewal, Chairman of the advisory board of the Institute for Information Technology for the National Research Council of Canada, and as a member of the Board of Governors of Carleton University in Ottawa. George was an honorary professor of telecommunications at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications.
The fate of Nortel washed out George’s many career legacies, but not done, in retirement, George traded technology for Indigenous art. After moving to Victoria, BC, in 2003, George and his wife Christiane became interested in the local contemporary Coast Salish art which, at the time, was under-represented in the native art landscape of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Their interest quickly turned to passion as their collection grew. A large cedar carving titled Salish Weave by world-renowned Salish artist, Susan Point, became the signature piece and the name of the Smyths’ sizeable private collection of contemporary Coast Salish art.
Through their work, the Smyths developed personal relationships with the artists and their families, relationships that George and Christiane cherished. They sought opportunities to raise awareness of the Salish art and the artists who practiced it, supporting exhibitions through financial contributions and lending works to cultural and educational institutions.
By 2011, George and Christiane had shifted their focus to education. Partnering with the University of Victoria (UVic), they sponsored a 10-year Visiting Artist Program in Anthropology and the Summer Institute in Indigenous Education. The success of Salish Art education at a higher level prompted the Smyths to develop a school program for kindergarten to grade 12 students.
Determined to build a legacy to ensure the succession of Salish Weave, George established the Salish Weave Fund at the Victoria Foundation in 2014, and he and Christiane transformed their private collection into a distributed public collection. Today, works of the Salish Weave Collection are part of the collections of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC, and the University of Victoria, BC. To further ensure the Salish Weave succession, George endowed the Smyth Chair in Arts and Engagement at the University of Victoria and the Salish Weave Chair in Salish Art Practices at Simon Fraser University.
George’s life will be celebrated in Victoria on March 15, 2025, at the University Club, in Ottawa on May 10, 2025, and in Quebec City on May 17, 2025. Further details of these celebrations of life will be provided later.
In George’s memory, please consider donating to the ‘Salish Weave Fund’ held at the Victoria Foundation. Donations can be made by phoning 250.381.5532 or mail a cheque payable to the Victoria Foundation, at 200 – 703 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1E2. Please indicate ‘Salish Weave Fund’ on the memo line of the cheque or when calling in with credit card information. To donate online, please visit www.victoriafoundation.bc.ca under Make a Donation and indicate the name of the fund in the comment box.
Condolences may be offered to the family below
McCall Gardens
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Janyce Ronson
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Stewart Ballanyne My deepest condolences to Christiane and family. George was one of my oldest childhood friends. We met in grade 7 and shared many experiences through junior and senior high school, Scouts, camping trips, and service in the Air Force reserves. George was in my carpool to UBC, I served as an usher at his wedding, and we coincidentally both wound up in Ottawa after graduation. Our lives diverged as we pursued our separate careers only to find that upon retirement, we both wound up in Victoria. We used to meet for lunch and regularly discussed the state of affairs in the world. While we didn’t always agree, nothing intruded on our friendship and as George used to reassure me, “None of it is our fault”. Rest in peace my Friend.
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Eric Bourquin and Alice Dehen Our condolences go out to Christiane and all the family and friends. George was a truly remarkable man. His gentle and kind heart enabled him to make lifelong friendships throughout his working career as well as into his new ventures in retirement.
George and Christiane’s love of Coast Salish art was the beginning of a 20 year relationship working together to put forth a remarkable vision that he and Christiane realized was needed for the recognition of the Coast Salish art style. Their willingness to help new and existing artists’ reach their potential and give them a platform to exhibit their art through the Salish Weave collection will be forever remembered as a most generous gift to the Coast Salish community and to all of Canada.
We shared many memorable meals and visits over the last 20 years. George and Christiane watched our 2 daughters, Amy and Sylvia grow from little girls into amazing young adults. The generosity and kindness given to us will forever be remembered and cherished.
May George’s kind soul watch over us all with the warmth and love he so genuinely gave to all that new him.
Rest in peace dear friend ❤️Alice, Eric, Amy and Sylvia.
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George Brody George was a visionary leader who made Nortel’s digital journey so worldclass. I had the privilege of reporting directly to him for several years and being mentored by him. I had a chance to visit Victoria and have dinner with him and Christiane a few years ago . Will cherish that evening forever. He was a very caring and empathetic leader…God bless…I will miss you BOSS..
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Helen Harker George was a truly visionary and compassionate leader.
May he rest in peace and God bless his soul.
My sincere condolences to his grieving family and friends.
My love and sympathy to his beloved wife Christiane and stepson Guillaume.
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Anthony Alan Shelton I am so sorry and shocked to hear of George’s passing. My condolences go out to Christiane and his family and to all those whose lives were touched by this ebullient and generous man. Today, the world is a more impoverished place without his zest and kindness.
It was a privilege to get to know, even a little, George and Christiane and a treat to visit them and talk about their passion and their plans for the important collection they built and generously redistributed to universities, galleries and schools across the province and further afield. George’s profound knowledge and personal relations with Salish artists and his sincere deep commitment to documenting their legacies and achievements and the encouragement he and Christiane gave to emerging practitioners, is unsurpassed. Philanthropy and collecting and understanding Salish art united George and Christiane together. George’s passing fills me with an appreciation of the goodness a life can bring and reminds me of Christiane’s own shared commitment, appreciation and love of Indigenous art and those who produce it.
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Haitham BouZeineddine Thank you George for your leadership, pioneering legacy, and for having me at BNR. We built life lasting relationships during the BNR-Nortel era. You will be dearly missed. My deepest and sincere condolences to the family and loved ones.
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Fiona Hunter I was honoured to know George as a collector and supporter (along with Christiane) of Salish art and culture. Their passion, generosity and understanding of this important part of Canadian history was and is truly inspiring. I regret that I did not know George during his working life, but reading about his many achievements and character was incredible.
My very sincere sympathies to all George’s families.
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cesare cesaratto Cesar and Diane
We were terribly saddened by the news and express our deepest condolences to Christianne and extended family
George and I had a long and exciting professional relationship during the development of the DMS product line at BNR.
After our retirement from Nortel, we developed a lasting friendship, regularly getting together in Ottawa to reminisce. His wit and humour was a joy.
He leaves us with many fond memories.
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Jean-Paul Restoule My condolences to Christiane and to family and friends. I first met George and Christiane through their support of the Summer Institute in Indigenous Education in the department I serve as chair. I learned about Coast Salish art and artists through them and our unit at UVic shared the resources developed for Salish Weave with teachers in the hopes that the next generation they reach learn of their responsibilities to the lands and peoples. Every meeting with George was filled with wonder, ideas and good humour. I will really miss him. The support he showed Salish artists will live on in motivating others to be creative and true to Salish ways. The teachings and the learning that come from the artworks and the education they inspire will also be a lasting legacy. I am grateful that George’s spirit will live on in these ways at least. A heart this big can’t help but keep giving. I fondly remember his words of encouragement to each Summer Institute cohort as they proudly shared what they gained from their experience. He was really moved by the work they did and the commitments they made and his words really showed that. Love, prayers, and hugs to Christiane.
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Ken Walton George was a popular member of our Victoria Rotary Club. He left our club some years ago which was unfortunate. Our best to his family and friends.
Ken Walton, Past President.
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Maynard Johnny Jr. I am sad to hear the passing of George. Sending lots of love and prayers for your loss Christiane. It has been a great partnership that became a friendship working with yourself and George over the years and the support you and George has given me was a great gift to enabling me to get to where I am now as a Coast Salish artist. I will miss visiting with George yet his support and advice will remain as fond memories.
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Sybil and Tom Hennebury Remembering a dear colleague and wonderful friend. You will be so missed, George. Be at peace. Such great memories of times spent together!
Our love to Christiane and all the family.
Sybil and Tom Hennebury
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Laury Dacre I was so sad to hear George had passed, I have wonderful memories of George through my years at BNR. He was a wonderful, caring man who always looked out for everyone and had an amazing sense of humour. Christiane, most sincere condolences. Thinking of George extended family and friends.
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Nicole Leclerc Christiane
Nous conservons le souvenir d’un homme doux,souriant et humble,malgré un CV dont on ne pouvait pas suspecter l’ampleur.
Un féru de la culture Salish à laquelle il a généreusement contribué à la diffusion.
Nos plus sincères condoléances à Christiane ainsi qu’à la famille de George et ses amis
Nicole et Gaston paradis
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Clarence J Chandran George and I met in the late ‘80’s in Ottawa.We instantly struck up an easy rapport. Having been transferred over from Bell in Toronto,he was keenly interested in how installers assembled,programmed and fired-up the machines. All with a view to making deigns simpler.
He had this humble genius of knowing what ought to go into the “white space”. He was a true talisman of technological strength. With a wickedly dry sense of humour,under his breath.
Privilege to have been his colleague. God Bless,George
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GARY DONAHEE One of the truly great leaders . Georges name is synonymous with the great technology leaders in the history of BNR/NT!
May God bless his memories and continue to bestow blessings on his family!
GRD
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Barry Black My condolences to family and friends. George was a truly remarkable person and amazing leader in BNR and Nortel. I remember him stopping by my office in Ottawa out of the blue just to talk about technology and the marketplace. When I was on assignment in Germany, I remember cafeteria lunches with him to discuss the challenges of the marketplace. He inspired confidence in all who met him and left the world a better place.
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Dr. Gerald Butters George was an inspirational stand up guy. A deep and thoughtful analyst, whose personal interventions drove the market successes of SP-1, DMS, and FiberWorld. Delightful sense of humor, and a calming demeanor were hallmarks of his leadership.
Sure will miss him
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Katherine Margaret Kerr Condolences from Ross and Kathi Kerr, Ottawa, On. Ross and I both worked with/for George in SP1, DMS10 and DMS divisions. We were part of the group that founded a BNR location in England. He was a wonderful leader and a wonderful “boss”. God Bless
My sincere condolences Christiane. For all of George’s accomplishments and impacts, memories of his kindness, wit and humour will stay with me.